I replied, "Oh, alright," and hit send. The seconds ticked by slowly, turning into minutes. I stared at my phone, willing it to light up with a notification, but it stayed stubbornly dark. He had seen my message; the "seen" status taunted me. Five minutes passed, then ten. My mind began to race with possibilities. Was he busy? Did I say something wrong? Was he with someone else? I hated how quickly my thoughts spiraled out of control, but I couldn't help it. I tossed my phone aside and closed my eyes, trying to sleep, but my mind wouldn't let me.
I tried deep breathing, counting sheep, anything to distract myself from the gnawing anxiety. But the questions kept coming back. Where was he? Why didn't he reply? I knew I was overthinking, but knowing didn't help. I tossed and turned for twenty minutes, my frustration growing with each passing second. Finally, I gave up on sleep and sat up, my mind still buzzing.
